1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for finding a desired three-dimensional model, and more particularly to a technique for easily confirming the difference between three-dimensional models.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hitherto, from among a plurality of three-dimensional models, an objective model has been found, for example, by a method of extracting three-dimensional models, which satisfy search conditions designated by a user, by employing metadata or the like added to each of the plurality of three-dimensional models, and presenting a list of the extracted three-dimensional models to the user. Then, the user visually finds the objective model from among the presented three-dimensional models. With such a known method, however, the list of the three-dimensional models is presented to the user by simply displaying the three-dimensional models, which satisfy the search conditions, in order. Therefore, the user has to visually compare the three-dimensional models and confirm the differences among the three-dimensional models. For example, when many three-dimensional models partially differing from one another just in portions are presented, it is difficult to quickly grasp all the differences among the three-dimensional models, and therefore a long time is taken to find the objective three-dimensional model.
Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-304394, for example, discloses a technique for easily specifying one product or one feature from among a variety of products. More specifically, a product satisfying search conditions entered by a user is searched for from a database storing individual numbers of many products, information of their external appearances, and photographs of their external appearances. The photograph of the external appearance of the detected product is presented to the user. With the technique disclosed in the above-cited Publication, the user can find the same product as the desired one by designating, e.g., the product number. However, when there is a plurality of similar products, the user has to visually confirm the photographs of the external appearances one by one. In other words, the above-mentioned problem cannot be overcome.
In addition, Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2004-272357, for example, discloses a technique of dividing an external appearance image of a particular apparatus, which is taken in by a camera, into plural regions, calculating for each of the regions the degree of match between the particular apparatus and each of several candidate apparatuses stored in a database, extracting one or more candidate apparatuses, which are similar to the particular apparatus, based on the degree of match calculated for each region, and presenting the candidate apparatuses. Further, with the technique disclosed in the above-cited Publication, when the similar candidate apparatuses are presented, the region in which the candidate apparatus does not match with the particular apparatus is displayed in an emphasized manner depending on the degree of match for each region. However, the case of using three-dimensional data is not taken into consideration.
Thus, the known techniques have difficulty confirming the differences among three-dimensional models, for example, when there are many three-dimensional models differing from one another just in their parts. Therefore, a long time is taken to find the objective three-dimensional model.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique enabling the differences among three-dimensional models to be easily confirmed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique enabling the objective three-dimensional model to be easily found.